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SternisheFan (2529412) writes "Slashgear: Posted by Eric Abent on November 21, 2012. It’s pretty obvious that Microsoft and Sony have started work on their next generation gaming consoles, but Microsoft might have more than just the next Xbox up its sleeve. According to a new report from The Verge, Microsoft is planning to launch a set-top box of its own at some point next year. By making such a device and launching some kind of Xbox TV service alongside its next-gen console, it could potentially allow Microsoft to get its products in more living rooms than ever before, so it’s pretty easy to see the appeal of such a strategy.
This set-top box would obviously be a media streaming device meant to challenge the likes of Apple TV and Roku, but Microsoft is also developing this box with gaming in mind. You won’t be able to play full blown console games on it of course, but The Verge’s sources say that Microsoft is looking to have casual games on its box. Perhaps we’ll see the company launch something like Xbox Live made specifically for this device?
The box will also be running Windows 8, and will make use of a chipset that allows it to boot up and a resume from sleep quickly. Given the fact that Microsoft has been trying to turn the Xbox 360 into a media hub rather than a simple games console, the jump to a set-top box isn’t that hard to make. Things get even more interesting, though, when we hear the claim that Microsoft may also be planning to introduce a phone that’s capable of full Xbox Live functionality."Link to Original Source